Lest We Forget: WWE Cyber Sunday 2006

WWE Cyber Sunday 2006
From U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio
November 5, 2006

The opening video package hypes the concept of the show. Most of the focus is put on the main-event, a three way between the champion of each brand where the fans pick which belt will be on the line.

Umaga comes out with Armando Alejandro Estrada for the opening contest. Todd Grisham and Maria hype up the match and reveal his opponent. The fans have selected Kane over Chris Benoit and The Sandman, giving him 49% of the vote.

Umaga w/ Armando Alejandro Estrada vs. Kane

Umaga had recently beaten Kane in a Loser Leaves Raw match. Both men go right at it, and Kane gets the better of the striking battle. Kane tries to slam Umaga’s head into the turnbuckle, but he’s Samoan, so it doesn’t affect him. Umaga mounts some offense, but Kane gets right back into it. Umaga hits a belly to belly and follows up with a kick to the face. Umaga tacks on a headbutt, but Kane fires back with some offense. Kane shoots off the ropes but eats a spinning heel kick from the Samoan Bulldozer. Kane hits a big boot, but Umaga stays on his feet and plants Kane with a flatliner. Kane and Umaga exchange strikes, but Umaga goes to the eyes to keep control. Umaga plants Kane with a scoop slam and then heads up to the second rope. Umaga flies off the second rope with a diving headbutt! One, two, no! Umaga wears down Kane and sets him up in the corner. RUNNING HIP ATTACK BY UMAGA! Kane rolls out to the floor. Umaga follows him out and goes for the Samoan Spike, but KANE DUCKS AND UMAGA NAILS THE RING POST! Kane sends Umaga into the steel steps before rolling him inside. Kane drapes Umaga out on the apron and pelts him with a few elbows. Kane mounts the second turnbuckle and lands some heavy strikes on Umaga. Kane rushes and nails a vicious splash in the corner. Kane then follows up with a corner clothesline. Kane comes off the ropes, but Umaga catches him with a Samoan drop. Umaga sets up for the Samoan Spike, but KANE SITS UP! Kane goozles Umaga, but Umaga goes to the eyes to get free. Umaga goes for a corner splash but Kane evades him and hits a back suplex. Kane heads up to the top rope. Estrada tries to stop Kane, but he gets kicked to the floor. Kane soars off the top, but Umaga punches him in the face. LEAPING SAMOAN SPIKE BY UMAGA! ONE, TWO, THREE! Umaga remains undefeated at 9:39.

Winner: Umaga
Umaga looked like an absolute monster in this match. Instead of Kane looking unstoppable, he mostly fought from behind here, and made Umaga look great as a result. This was physically intense, and they had the crowd into it. Additionally, the commentators did a great job of putting over the action in the ring. 1 for 1.

Backstage, Sharmell approaches the ECW Champion, Big Show. She tries to talk him into working with King Booker. He says being champion of champions is most important to him. Sharmell remains persistent, but Big Show says he doesn’t trust her or Booker, and that it will be every man for himself. She says Big Show will live to regret his choice.

The fans have voted for this upcoming tag team match to be a Texas Tornado Match, which beat out Fatal Four Way and Tag Team Turmoil. Texas Tornado got 50% of the vote.

Texas Tornado Match: Cryme Tyme vs. Charlie Haas and Viscera vs. Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch vs. The Highlanders

Cade and Murdoch celebrate briefly, but then everyone brawls. The first team to socre a pinfall wins. The Highlanders and Cade and Murdoch brawl on the floor. Charlie Haas charges JTG but is low bridged to the floor. Big Vis slams Shad to the mat but misses with a back senton. Cryme Tyme hit the Cruz Control for two (I don’t know the name of it, so The NorthStar Express get the naming rights). The rednecks clean house, but The Highlanders come in and dispose of both of them. THE HIGHLANDERS FLY TO THE FLOOR WITH A PAIR OF PLANCHAS! Charlie Haas and JTG go at it in the ring with Haas getting the best of the action. Haas comes off the ropes but eats a dropkick. Haas ducks a clothesline and plants JTG with a German Suplex. SHAD LIGHTS UP HAAS WITH A BIG BOOT! Shad and Vis go at it, but Shad gets caught with a Black Hole Slam. Big Vis charges JTG in the corner, but he pulls Haas in his way. The Highlanders dropkick Big Vis to the floor. Roby Highlander gets isolated by Cade and Murdoch, who hit an Atomic Drop/big boot combo and then a high low clothesline. Cryme Tyme dispose of them, and pin Roby- ONE, TWO, THREE! Cryme Tyme steal one at 4:26.

Winners: Cryme Tyme
This match was brief, but the action was hot and heavy. They made the best of what they were given. Cryme Tyme were really over. It’s kind of a shame that JTG has been essentially discarded, because he had loads of charisma.

After the match, Cryme Tyme celebrate with the commentators, and Shad steals Lawler’s laptop while they’re distracted.

Backstage, Shawn Michaels is voting on a laptop. Triple H comes up and explains that Vince and Coach are bad choices. Triple H says that Bischoff is controversial, so he might be the best choice. Triple H says Bischoff claims they don’t know what controversy is. This sets off HBK, who delivers Sweet Chin Music to three random people backstage. Triple H tells that this was funny. It was until he said that.

Jeff Hardy makes his way out to the ring to defend his Intercontinental title. His potential opponents are Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, and Johnny Nitro. Maria and Todd Grisham total up the votes, and Carlito wins with 62% of the vote.

Intercontinental Championship Match: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Carlito

The two shake hands at the start. The two exchange evenly on the first exchange. They botch a leap frog spot, and Hardy pushes him into the ropes. Carlito scores with a low dropkick as they stand off. Carlito hits a suplex for two. Hardy gets a low dropkick of his own and hits a clothesline for two. Hardy ducks a moonsault and hits a mule kick enzuigiri. Carlito rolls to the floor, and Hardy tacks on a baseball slide. Hardy goes to the floor and gets on the barricade. HARDY RUNS OFF THE GUARDRAIL BUT EATS A DROPKICK FROM CARLITO! Carlito takes Hardy inside and covers for two. Jeff Hardy gets the advantage back and hits a ten punch in the corner. Hardy tries to follow up with his swinging dropkick, but Carlito has it scouted and dropkick Hardy as he comes down! That was clever spot. Carlito covers- One, two, no! Carlito cinches in a waistlock. Hardy fights free and hits a jawbreaker. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate, but Carlito shoves him into the buckles and SCHOOLBOYS HIM! ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! Carlito goes back to the waistlock. Hardy can only crawl to the ropes, and Carlito lets go. Carlito pounds away on the midsection of Hardy. Carlito takes Hardy to the mat and leg drops him in the gut for two. Carlito goes back to the waistlock, and a small “boring” chant breaks it out. Seriously? Some fans are idiots. Carlito plants Hardy with a spinning flapjack. One, two, no! Carlito hits a backbreaker for two. Carlito locks in a sleeper hold. Hardy gets up and elbows free. Carlito charges but eats a back elbow. Hardy hits a swinging DDT! Carlito gets to his feet and Hardy drops him with a clothesline, a back elbow, and a drag-down lariat. Hardy covers for two. Carlito reverses a whip, but then ends up being planted by Hardy with a Gordbuster! Hardy covers for two, but then immediately scales the buckles. SWANTON BOMB, BUT CARLITO GETS THE KNEES UP! Carlito covers- ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! The crowd really bit on that one, and Carlito’s work of the body probably helped. Carlito hits a springboard tumbleweed and then follows up with a lionsault. ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! Carlito goes for a springboard cross body, but Hardy dips out of the way. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate, Carlito shoves him into the buckles, and HARDY HITS A WHISPER IN THE WIND! ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! Hardy heads up top, but Carlito gets to his feet and cuts him off. Carlito climbs up top. Carlito goes for a hurricanrana, but Hardy dumps him to the mat. SWANTON BOMB! ONE, TWO, THREE! Hardy retains at 13:23.

Winner: Jeff Hardy
Although they were a bit sloppy early on, as the match progressed, both guys clicked. Carlito had Hardy scouted and came up with some clever counters. The work that Carlito did to Hardy’s midsection had the crowd thinking that he could win the match in a number of ways. When guided, Jeff Hardy can put on a great show. That was the case here. 3 for 3.

A commercial airs for the Hulk Hogan Ultimate Anthology DVD.

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler hype the Edge and Orton vs. D-X match. A video package is shown to hype the match.

D-X come out and do their usual shtick. Maria and Todd Grisham run down the votes, and the fans have chosen Eric Bischoff with 60% of the vote.

Special Guest Referee, Eric Bischoff: D-Generation X vs. Randy Orton and Edge

Edge and Michaels start things off. Michaels tries for a sunset flip and de-pantses Edge. Michaels gets another sunset flip for two and applies an arm lock on Edge. Triple H tags in and goes right after the arm of Edge. Triple H hits a corner clothesline, then lights up Edge with punches. Edge goes to the eyes and tags in Orton, who pounds away on Triple H. Triple H gets sent into the buckles but comes back with a clothesline. Triple H hits a suplex and drops a knee. Triple H tags out, and Michaels continues to work over Orton. Orton eats a boot charging Michaels in the corner, and HBK tags back out. Edge makes a blind tag, and they set up Triple H for a dropkick from Orton.. Edge covers for one. Triple H fights Edge off, but gets dragged to the mat for two. Orton tags in and continues the assault. Edge comes in and riles up the fans before landing some right hands on Triple H. Edge comes off the second rope but eats a kick to the gut and a DDT. Triple H makes the tag to HBK, who nails a flying forearm onto Edge. Michaels hits an atomic drop onto both of his opponents. Triple H comes in and slams Edge to the mat. HBK heads up top- FLYING ELBOW DROP! Michaels tunes up the band, but Orton trips him up from the floor and pulls him crotch first into the ring post! Triple H takes umbrage with Bischoff. Edge covers but only gets two. Orton tags in and drops a few knees on HBK for two. Edge tags in, and Triple H is growing frustrated. While Triple H complains to Bischoff, Edge and Orton double team Michaels. Edge hits a standing dropkick for two. Edge applies a front chancery. Michaels gets to his feet with the hold still applied, but he can’t make the tag. Edge hits a big boot to Michaels for two. Randy Orton tags in. Orton hits a standing dropkick of his own for two. Orton applies a headlock. Michaels gets to his feet and fires out. Michaels chops Orton a few times, but then falls victim to the head-cradle backbreaker! Edge tags in and sets up for a Spear. Michaels evades, and EDGE TAKES OUT ERIC BISCHOFF WITH A SPEAR! Michaels hits an ezuigiri. Both guys crawl to their corner. Shouldn’t Orton just run in without a tag since the referee is down? Either way, both men tag out and Triple H takes out both of his opponents. Edge plants Orton with a spinebuster. Triple H sets up for a Pedigree on Orton, but EDGE SPEARS HIM! Michaels tosses Edge to the floor and wipes him out with a plancha! RKO TO TRIPLE H! Orton covers, and a referee comes out from the back. ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! Triple H gets to his feet while Orton stalks him. ORTON GOES FOR THE RKO, BUT TRIPLE H SHOVES HIM INTO SWEET CHIN MUSIC! Triple H covers- ONE, TWO, THRE-BISCHOFF PULLS THE REFEREE OUT OF THE RING! Bischoff tags Chad Patton with a right hand. Michaels goes after Bischoff, but EDGE HITS HIM WITH A STEEL CHAIR! Bischoff smiles as he watches on. Edge tags the chair inside, but Triple H cuts him off. HHH sets up for the Pedigree, but ORTON NAILS HIM IN THE BACK WITH THE CHAIR! RKO ONTO THE CHAIR BY ORTON! ONE, TWO, THREE! Edge and Orton win at 18:12.

Winners: Randy Orton and Edge
This match was pretty good. They worked a basic formula until the finishing sequence. The stipulation was annoying, because I’m pretty sure they would have done this stipulation regardless of who the referee was. With that said, this still entertained me. 4 for 4.

We see some behind-the-scenes footage for The Marine.

Backstage, Lita congratulates Edge and Orton. They point out that they are the first team to beat D-X since reforming. Todd Grisham approaches them and asks about their victory being tainted. They claim that this victory was not tainted. Edge says that this will kick off The Era of Rated RKO.

The Divas come out to the ring for the Mickie James/Lita match. The fans voted for a Divas Lumberjack match, beating out a No DQ match and a Submission match.

Women’s Championship Divajack Match: Mickie James vs. Lita

This is the finals of a tournament that they had to determine a new champion. Lita throws James to the floor immediately, but she fights her way back in and takes Lita down. Lita takes Mickie to the mat by her hair. Lita tries to hit the ropes but James trips her up. James comes up short on a dropkick that apparently connected. Lita goes to the apron nd drops Mickie James throat-first on the top rope. Lita sends Mickie face-first into the mat and then pounds away in the corner. Lita hits a suplex for two. Mickie takes over and throws Lita face-first into the buckles. Lita comes out of nowhere with a slap to regain control. Lita plants James with a tilt-a-whirl slam for two. Lita applies a backpack sleeper hold. Mickie falls back, but Lita holds on. Mickie rules out and applies an armbar! Lita gets to the ropes and Mickie breaks the hold. Mickie catches a kick and trips Lita down to the mat. Mickie mounts some basic offense for two. Mickie catches Lita with a back elbow. Mickie tries to do a hurricanrana to the floor, botches it, and they both go to the outside. The faces beat up Lita and the heels beat up Mickey before they are both sent inside. Mickey lands some kicks on Lita. Mickie sort of hits a swinging DDT but doesn’t. Lita puts her feet on the ropes and covers for two. Mickie gets a schoolboy for two. Victoria grabs Mickie’s foot when she hits the ropes, so Mickie baseball slides her. Mickie turns around and is greeted with a DDT! ONE, TWO, THREE! Lita wins the Women’s Championship at 8:09

Winner: Lita
These women are capable, but this match sucked. It was slow, disjointed, and sloppy. 4 for 5.

A commercial airs for Wrestlemania 23 in Detroit.

Backstage, The Spirit Squad get hyped. Kenny says that he is the only winner on the team. Johnny says Kenny isn’t the boss, and the two of them go at it. Kenny says he did what none of them could do when he pinned Ric Flair by himself. Kenny says he roughed up Mikey to bring the best out of him. They put their hands in, but Johnny seems reluctant. They shout, “CHAMPS TO THE END!”

Ric Flair makes his way out to the ring for his tag team title shot. The fans can pick his partner as with Sgt. Slaughter, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, or Dusty Rhodes. Piper wins with 46% of the vote.

Tag Team Championship Match: The Spirit Squad (Kenny and Mikey w/ Johnny, Nicky, and Mitch) (c) vs. Ric Flair and Roddy Piper

Dusty Rhodes and Slaughter comes out to support Flair and Piper. Kenny and Flair start things off. JR compares this to LeBron James squaring off with Michael Jordan. That totally holds true to this day. Flair gets the early edge before Kenny hits a drop kick. Mikey tags in and misses with some elbows, allowing Piper to tag in. Piper throws punches that take out the entire Spirit Squad. Piper locks Mikey in the SLEEPER, but Kenny breaks it up and tags himself in. Piper tries to crawl toward his corner, but Kenny applies a chinlock. Mikey and Kenny isolate Piper and make quick tags to prevent Piper from getting to the corner. Kenny goes up to the second rope and puts Mikey on his shoulder. KENNY TRIES TO ELECTRIC CHAIR MIKEY INTO A SPLASH ON PIPER, BUT HE ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY! Hot tag to Ric Flair! Flair comes in and cleans house. Piper and Flair clothesline Kenny to the floor. Piper and Flair hit a double suplex on Mikey. FLAIR LOCKS IN THE FIGURE FOUR! KENNY FLIES IN AND BREAKS IT UP WITH A LEGDROP! Flair gets an inside cradle on Mikey! One, two, NO! Flair goes back to the FIGURE FOUR! PIPER CUTS OFF KENNY! MIKEY TAPS! PIPER AND FALIR HAVE WON THE TITLES AT 6:57!

Winner: Ric Flair and Roddy Piper
The match itself was nothing special. They worked a formula, and the crowd didn’t get into it until the very end when Piper cut Kenny off and Mikey tapped. The moment was great, but the match was not. Skip to the finish and watch the post-match stuff. It was really cool to see Flair and Piper, who were great friends, have this moment. 4 for 6.

After the match, The Spirit Squad jump Flair and Piper, but Dusty and Slaughter come to their aid! Dusty hits a bunch of bionic elbows. Piper and Flair celebrate with the titles!

Backstage, King Booker and Sharmell approach WWE Champion John Cena. Booker explains that him and Cena have a giant problem with Big Show. He makes the same offer to Cena that he did to Big Show. Cena is on board. Booker tells Cena that he is as wise as Solomon, and that he will see him in the coliseum. That was amazing. Cena tells Booker before he can leave that if he does help King Booker, that if he does comply, he wants one night with the queen. Sharmell is appalled and leaves. Booker says he will take care of this. King Booker mulls the offer and accepts. Cena seems completely disgusted by this. Cena tells Booker that he is sick and would never do that. Cena says he won’t take his wife, but that he has no problem taking Booker’s title. Cena walks off after telling Sharmell that he agreed to watch her, Hacksaw, and a midget do it in a three-way. She is livid. Ron Simmons walks in. DAMN! That whole segment was amazing.

A commercial airs for Survivor Series, hyping a clash between all three brands.

A hype video is shown for the main-event, and it did a great job of making the main-event seem important.

All three champions make their way to the ring. For the first PPV in a while, there are no audible boos for Cena. Maria and Todd Grisham count up the votes, and the fans have voted for King Booker’s World Heavyweight Championship to be on the line with 67% of the vote.

World Heavyweight Championship Match: King Booker (c) vs. John Cena vs. Big Show

King Booker is not pleased. King Booker tries to talk Cena into working with him, but Cena rocks him with a right hand that sends him to the floor. Cena and Big Show go at it in the ring. Cena gets sent hard into the buckles. Big Show turns his attention to Booker, and Cena momentarily capitalizes before eating a clothesline. Big Show scoop slams Cena and stares down Booker, who stands out on the apron. Cena is sent to the floor, and KING BOOKER SCISSORS KICKS BIG SHOW OVER THE TOP ROPE! Booker comes in and capitalizes before eating a right hand. Show works over Booker. Cena gets up to the apron, but Big Show charges into him and sends him to the floor. King Booker lands a few strikes on Show before being knocked back down. Big Show drops Booker with a Final Cut and covers, but Cena breaks the count at two. Big Show fights off both men before Booker gives him a thumb to the eye. Cena and Booker take it to Big Show and clothesline him to the floor. BOOKER ROLLS UP CENA- ONE, TWO, NO! Booker connects with a back elbow to Cena. Cena ducks a clotheslines and hits a release Fisherman’s suplex. Cover- one, two, Big Show pulls Cena to the floor and clotheslines him! A few fans try to start a “Cena sucks” chant but it dies quickly. Big Show grabs the top of the steel steps. CENA DROPKICKS SHOW’S LEG AND CAUSES BIG SHOW TO FALL FACE FIRST ONTO THE STEEL STEPS! Cena rolls inside but is greeted with a BOOK END! ONE, TWO, NO! Booker hits an arm-twist side kick for two. Cena fights off Booker but gets hotshotted onto the second rope. Booker follows up with a Shuffle Superkick! One, two, no! Booker hits a sidewalk slam for two. Booker charges Cena but eats a back elbow. Cena catches Booker with a kick and hits a belly-to-belly for two. Booker evades Cena in the corner and finds a side headlock. Cena gets to his feet and powers free from the hold. Blue Thunder Slam by Cena. One, two, no. Cena goes up to the top rope. CENA GOES FOR A TOP ROPE SPLASH BUT NO ONE IS HOME! Booker covers- one, two, no! Booker goes for the SCISSORS KICK, BUT CENA MOVES OUT OF THE WAY. CENA GOES FOR THE F-U, BUT BOOKER SLIPS OUT! DDT by King Booker- One, two, no! Cena slips out of a slam and hits a Russian leg sweep for two. CENA LOCKS IN THE STFU! Booker gets to the ropes quickly. Booker thumbs Cena in the eye. Cena ducks a side kick and hits a clothesline. Cena charges with a back elbow and scores. Cena hits a suplex for two. Booker hits a back body drop onto Cena. Booker heads up top, but Cena hits him with a right hand. Cena climbs up after him, but BIG SHOW IS IN THE RING. Big Show gets Cena up on his shoulders, and BOOKER HITS A DROPKICK ONTO SHOW THAT DROPS BOTH HIM AND CENA! Booker covers Big Show, but he emphatically kicks out at two. Cena and Booker double team Show. They try for a double suplex, but Big Show suplexes both of them instead! Show crushes both men in the corner and then shoulder blocks them down. Big Show goozles King Booker- CHOKESLAM! Cena attacks Big Show, but HE GETS SPEARED! Cena goes to the floor and Show follows him out. Show slams Cena’s face into the announcer’s table, and then clears it off. Cena hits some shots on Big Show and then slam his head onto the table. Big Show cuts Cena off and picks him up. Cena slips out and shoves Big Show into the ring post! Cena rolls inside and lights up Booker with shoulder blocks and a clothesline. Blue Thunder Slam by Cena! Cena motions that Booker can’t see him. Big Show has a chair on the floor, and Cena kicks it into his face! Five Knuckle Shuffle to King Booker! Cena sets up for the F-U, but Sharmell gets in the ring with the belt. CENA PICKS UP SHARMELL- F-U! Cena drop toe-holds Booker- STFU! The referee is attending to Sharmell. KEVIN FEDERLINE IS HERE! FEDERLINE NAILS CENA WITH THE BELT! Cena chases after K-Fed, but he flees. Cena goes back to King Booker, but BOOKER NAILS HIM WITH THE BELT! Booker covers- ONE, TWO, THREE! King Booker is the Champion of Champions after 21:10.

Winner: King Booker
This match was really enjoyable, even if the K-Fed interference makes everything seem dated. King Booker made his title seem highly important to him all night, and he sold that throughout the match. This wasn’t an all-time classic, but it was a serviceable main-event where everyone looked strong. 5 for 7.

K-Fed comes in the ring afterward and taunts John Cena.

The 411: This show was solid, and even one of the skipable matches provided a great moment. There was nothing on this show that will blow you away, but there were strong performances up and down the card that made this worth viewing. I'll give it a decent recommendation.
Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]